Question: Who is the intended audience?
Answer: Written with young adults in mind, Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies by Jan Dahlin Geiger, CFP, MBA is a guide for launching and maintaining a lifetime of wise money management practices. While we assumed individuals in their 20’s and 30’s would be our primary readers, people in their 40’s and 50’s have become our largest group of buyers.

Q: What is the book about?
A: At mid-life, many recognize the urgent need to get their finances on track!

Fortunately for our older audience, it’s not too late to make significant changes.

After more than 30 years in the financial services business, Jan can testify that getting rich is pretty easy: You simply have to learn what rich people do to become rich and then do the same.

Conveniently, the formula for becoming rich involves three basic steps:

1. Get out of debt and stay out of debt.

2. Save money automatically.

3. Learn to invest wisely.

Given such simple guidelines, why do so few people become rich?

The answer is attitude. If you believe you can do something, then you will work to make it happen. If you believe you can’t, then you will not take the first step forward. Because most people believe that getting rich is hard, they don’t bother to pursue the goal.

In addition to the basics, you’ll find several bonus chapters that cover topics rarely discussed in personal finance books:

• How to achieve financial harmony with your mate with concrete, step-by-step guidance for peaceful financial togetherness.
• How to buy cars and how to buy houses.
• How giving money to others in need attracts even more money back to you.
• How to address your mental attitude about money—the deciding factor between achieving success or ending in failure.

Q: Why are you the best person to write this book?
A: Throughout this book, I repeatedly steer my readers away from get-rich-quick schemes. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Practitioner, I share tried and true practices as well as invaluable insights.

All in all, my gifts for making financial concepts clear-cut and for presenting them in a lighthearted manner have produced a book that is well-worth your time and money!

Q: How is this book different from other books on this topic?
A: This powerful book shatters all the silly ideas that hold people back from believing they can become rich. Essential are the easy-to-understand, step-by-step guidelines:

• Presenting practical solutions for getting out of debt and remaining free of debt, several chapters delve into ways to increase income and decrease expenses to build savings.
• Other chapters walk the reader through investment basics so that your newfound savings earn profits.
• An especially powerful chapter discusses the critical importance of using a spending plan.

Think about it: the behaviors we measure are those we improve. Likewise, most people can’t save money because they have no idea where every dollar goes. When they begin tracking their spending, almost all grow free of debt and start saving money within two years.

Though armed with workable, researched advice, I hesitated considerably before writing this book. After all, thousands of personal finance books are available. What persuaded me to put pen to paper was the feedback from people who attended my seminars. Individuals of all ages and backgrounds told me that I had to share my rare gift for explaining money basics.

Not only is my approach straightforward so that anyone can “get it,” but my style is positive and engaging. People respond to me. They are motivated to let go of limiting beliefs and, instead, accept this powerful idea that becoming rich is possible and easy.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about this book?
A: Since publishing the book, I have received encouraging feedback from my readers:

“You really didn’t say a lot that I didn’t already know, but you are the first who said it in a way that made me WANT to take action.“

“I read your book cover to cover and never got bored. I can hardly wait to dive in and get started.”

“My husband is great with money but I have never been. Your book is the first one I have read in 10 years that I enjoyed, and for the first time, I actually want to cooperate with my husband in building wealth rather than being angry with him for saving instead of spending.”

“Usually when I read money books, I feel terrible about myself and need some retail therapy to get over it! Your book is so empowering. You make me feel terrific about myself and you make me believe I really can do this!”

“Jan, you’re the first person I’ve ever met who makes money fun!”

The last comment about making money “fun” highlights the crucial difference between my book and others. Presenting money management in an enjoyable, interesting, optimistic format empowers readers to take action.

Most people feel terrible about their financial predicaments. They don’t need to focus on scolding commentary. On the other hand, words from a “you-can-do-this” coach are extremely beneficial:

“This is so easy!”

“Real people with really tough challenges are utterly successful with this process; there’s no reason why you cannot achieve the same great results!”

“Rather than fret about the past, be grateful for your mistakes—they have taught you what things not to do!”

“You can do it! Simply imitate those who have already achieved their goals.”

“It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.”